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The Republic of Frisia (A better world TL)
OTL territorial note. *''Frisia is commonly divided into three OTL sections:'' Frisia is commonly divided into three sections: #'West Frisia' in the Netherlands corresponds roughly to: #*the province of Friesland #*the province of Groningen #*the northern parts of the province of North Holland, historical West Friesland #'East Frisia' in Lower Saxony, Germany corresponds roughly to: #*East Frisia in a more narrow sense: #**the Aurich district #**the Emden district #**the Leer district #**the Wittmund district #*East Frisia in a wider sense (East Frisian peninsula): #**the Friesland district #**the Wilhelmshaven district #**the Saterland municipality #**the Butjadingen peninsula, historical Rüstringen #**the Wurster Nordseeküste municipality, historical Land Wursten #'North Frisia' in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany corresponds roughly to: #*Heligoland #*the Nordfriesland district The three groups of the Frisian Islands (the West, East and North Frisian Islands) stretch more or less correspondingly along these three sections of the German Bight coast. In this time line, Frisia covers all this OTL land, less the navel base in Whilliamshaven, which stayed a German exclave and the mainland part of North Holland which stayed Dutch. History Pre-1914 #''See: Prussia (A better world TL)'' The inter-war years The Anti-Serbia War (1914-1918) #''See: Prussia (A better world TL)'' The Great Depression (1929-1940) #''See: Prussia (A better world TL)'' The Anti-Hitlerian War (1939-1946) #''See: Prussia (A better world TL)'' Cold War The British swore never to get done over by Germany or see the Dutch get crushed again, so they set up the pro-Western puppet state of Frisia. The Frisian and Low Saxon culture and identity was promoted as a way of undermining the offical German culture in the fledgling nation. The Allies quickly started the rebuilding of the region, but it would last for many years due to legacy of the feirace fighting in the region, including the firestorming of Whiliamshaven on March 3rd 1946. 4,500 British troops were sent to the nation as a anti-Soviet garrison. The Butjadingen Peninsula was host to significant British military activity with 2 RAF fighter bases, a major infantry base and a mine layer operating there between 1947 and 2008. Leeuwarden was also host to significant British military activity with 2 RAF fighter bases, a major infantry base and a major cavalry base operating there between 1947 and 2006. 1,000 New Englander and 500 Canadian troops were also stationed across the country the country between 1947 and 1957. 1,000 Dutch and 500 American troops are still stationed in Groningen and first arrived in 1947. Frisia ganed home rule in 1953 and it became a dominion in 2008. 1990s Denmark, the Netherlands, the UK and Frisia singed the 1992 Four Nations Free Trade Treaty in 1992. Life today There have been moves to increase Dutch and Danish influences since 2008 and a pro-Dutch party has gained some local political posts since 2008, especially in Groningen. The heavy floods of 1968, 1973 and 1993. Major floods hit the Netherlands during this period. The Marsdiep Channel flooded badly and the tide flooded all nearby land. Noorderhaaks Island was almost destroyed and Wieringen island was flooded in 1968. In 1973 Langeoog Island was cut in three parts by a heavy Christmas storm tide and Vlieland-Oost was partly flooded. Economy 2 large sugar refineries lie inside Groningen's city boundaries. They proces about 250,000 tonnes of beet sugar a year, with 250 employees (2005 figures). The is CSM Vierverlaten sugar factory in Hoogkerk, which produces about 235,000 tonnes of beet sugar a year, with 283 employees. There is an increased focus on business services; specifically ICT, Life Sciences, Tourism, Energy and Environment. Moreover, the Hotel and Catering Industry form a significant part of the economy of Groningen. The main industries in Emden are automobile production and shipbuilding, including a Volkswagen Passat car factory, which employs around 10,000 people between them. he Nordseewerke shipyard, a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp, employs around 1,400 dockers and specializes in conventional submarines. It also produces different kinds of cargo ships as well as ships for special purposes such as icebreakers, dredgers and other ships of that type. Emden is a major port. Another important economic sector is tourism, mainly as a day trip destination for tourists staying in the surrounding villages on the North Sea coastline. A university of applied sciences (Fachhochschule) was opened in Emden 1973. At present, around 4.240 students are enrolled, most of them studying for technical degrees. The airline Ostfriesische Lufttransport has its headquarters in Emden. Other mjar firms include the publishing company Noordhoff Uitgevers, a tobacco company Royal Theodorus Niemeyer, a health insurance company Menzis, a distillery Hooghoudt and the natural gas companies GasUnie and GasTerra. It joined Benelux (A better world TL) in 2014. Organisations #EU (A better world TL) #NATO (A better world TL) #Benelux (A better world TL) #1992 Four Nations Free Trade Treaty Category:Frisia Category:A better world (TL) Category:Germany Category:The Netherlands